Reading begins at home. A love of reading starts with having a good relationship with books and it starts with being exposed to books. Children need to hear stories and be given the opportunity to handle their own books at their own pace – looking at pictures and interpreting familiar stories in their own way. It is important for parents to read to their children. This will help to improve their reading skills and see reading as a pleasurable leisure activity.
Reading statistics report that only 14% of the South African population are active book readers, and a mere 5% of parents read to their children. National Book Week is an important initiative in encouraging the nation to value reading as a fun and pleasurable activity and to showcase how reading can easily be incorporated into one’s daily lifestyle.
As part of the NATIONAL BOOK WEEK, it is important for schools to encourage parents to create some time to read to their children and at the same time helping them to improve their reading skills.
Macmillan Education developed a flyer Raising Readers that schools can print and distribute to parents as part of National Book Week Celebrations.